Box Score CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Despite a three-run homer from Brianna Rodriguez to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Northwestern State softball team suffered a tough 7-6 (eight inning) loss to Ohio Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Frost Classic hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga at Frost Stadium.

The Lady Demons posted a 3-2 mark on the weekend, evening their overall record at 7-7. The Bobcats raised their near-perfect record to 12-1 with the win.

"I was really proud of the way we bounced back in the seventh, but it wasn't enough for the win," said sixth-year head coach Donald Pickett. "Ohio is a good team, and they put up a good fight today."

Trailing 4-1 in the seventh, Cali Burke and Brittany Virgoe walked to bring up Rodriguez with one out. The Rowlett, Texas, native smacked her first home run of the season to left center to tie the game at 4.

The Bobcats did not waste any time in the eighth, after they got a runner on second due to the tie-breaker rule, and picked up a run on an RBI double to left center by Alex Basquez. The run led to a Northwestern State pitching change, re-entering starting pitcher Shelby Sells (2-2) for Baylee Gray. Madison Claytor stepped to the plate next for Ohio, and sent a hard shot over the left field fence on Sells' first pitch, putting the Bobcats up 7-4.

NSU had the winning run at second base in the bottom of the inning. Cheyenne DelaGarza reached on a one-out error from third baseman Casie Hutchinson, allowing one run to score. Facing a new pitcher, Cali Burke singled to right for her third hit of the game and sent another run home, but Tara McKenney flew out to center and Virgoe struck out swinging to end the game.

Sells suffered the loss, allowing nine hits and striking out nine.

Burke went 3-for-3 from the plate with one RBI, followed by Rodriguez posting a 1-for-4 performance and three RBI.

The Lady Demons return to the Lady Demon Softball Complex for a doubleheader with Southern on Tuesday beginning at four o'clock before hitting the road on Friday to the Tulsa Tournament.